The European Space Agency has signed a contract with the Italian company Avio, the developer of the lightweight European Vega rocket, to create a reusable upper stage capable of delivering cargo to orbit and returning to Earth for relaunch.
According to the clients' vision, this will be a small spacecraft designed to carry up to 2 tons of payload to low orbit. Europe needs affordable means of delivery to space, and Avio is expected to help solve this task.
The contract is worth €40 million ($47 million). For this money, Avio will "define the requirements, system design, and supporting technologies necessary to develop a demonstrator capable of safely returning to Earth and being reused in future missions."
The estimated project is expected to be ready in two years, after which it may take up to another ten years for the European mini-Starship to make its first flight.
Avio has extensive experience in rocket development, although the company originally came from the Fiat automotive group. It began developing the Vega rocket under the Italian Space Agency and later the project was transferred to ESA. Last year, ESA commissioned Avio to create an upgraded version of the expendable Vega E rocket with greater payload capacity and a simplified design of the two upper stages.
The new project will strengthen Avio's position in the European space community. The company promises to bring Europe closer to what SpaceX has been working on for years — the launch of a reusable spacecraft capable of returning to Earth on its engines. For Europe, reusable spacecraft and affordable launch systems are a strategic goal.
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